Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Story of Ipoh in A Cup – The first coffee shop in old town that has popularized Ipoh white coffee; Sin Yoon Loong is still a force to be reckoned with despite the waves of challengers coming from all directions

About 3 weeks back during the Merdeka long break, I had the privilege to play (food) tour guide to a bunch of out-of-town eager beavers in Ipoh. The instinct to hunt for food felt almost second nature; a trait that’s more or less expected of Motormouth after the years of chowing down every single type of cuisine possibly found in Ipoh. And let’s not talk about the undying, flaring passion to discover good food in peripheral towns.

Since that was a mixed bunch of gluttons; some with considerably more experience with some of Ipoh’s best street food; while others were lagging slightly behind, I had to put on my Tourist Cap and ventured to the more classic establishments (read: tourist’s haunt, local’s nightmare).

What better way to kick start the ‘makan’ tour than with a cup of original old town white coffee. And no, there’s no air-conditioning or WiFi access here.

The back portion of Sin Yoon Loong still bears an air of nostalgia; with natural light streaming through the window panes and the same coat of turquoise paint that has been etched into our memories since childhood days

Despite the wide spread phenomenon that is Old Town White Coffee outlets brought to the spotlight by the Nam Heong, the coffee shop directly opposite of Sin Yoon Loong and clearly the one with a more entrepreneurial mindset (read also the technology-embracing Nam Heong Food Court @ Ipoh SoHo), Sin Yoon Loong was in fact, the FIRST coffee shop in old town that has introduced white coffee to the Ipoh community.

A smoking classic wooden chair that resembles the one we used to have back in our old house.

But coming here on a weekend morning can be a tragedy played out in full force. The parking woes aside, the odds of  being greeted with an empty table on a Sunday morning is almost zero. Stay adamant, thick-faced and pleasant, and who knows … you might just grab your seats in time before lunch.

I’m kidding. Walk over to the back portion if you don’t mind the slightly dilapidated state; with an altar for prayers behind you, sunshine streaming in from the large window panes and at times the need to share a table with strangers.

Roasted Pork (Siew Yoke) Stall does brisk business daily, although the quality of their offerings was subpar, in my opinion

Mun Kee Fish Ball Noodles Stall is the most popular stall no doubt, but that’s not saying a lot since there are only two stalls in the coffee shop. But you are free to order anything from the next shop; except for the drinks. Of course.

If you’re mainly feeling peckish and can’t stomach a bowl of noodles or even roasted pork for breakfast, go for a bite of egg tart, a packet of economy bee hoon, nasi lemak bungkus or even the Nyonya kueh on display.

It must have been at least two decades since we started eating his Chee Cheong Fun; back then he was located at the 3rd shop along the row, and sells only in the evening. Now, this stall is parked in front of the second shop; Sun Yuan Foong.

“Dan Chi” (Half-boiled eggs on toast), Kaya & Butter Toast and a cup of white coffee make a great ensemble for a hearty, traditional breakfast in old town.

Chee Cheong Fun with chili and sweet sauce, generously topped with fried shallots, sesame seeds and pickled green chillies

Roasted Pork (Siew Yoke) was a costly affair and yet came across as half-hearted attempt. The skin was not even crispy to begin with.

Sin Yoon Loong is a very traditional style of kopitiam that should please the shutterbugs and first time visitors to Ipoh. However, the limiting factor to their popularity could be the lack of good food here.

Don’t get me wrong. The fish ball noodle stall, Chee Cheong Fun from next door neighbor and roasted pork stall could have attracted a legion of fans, for all they are worth. Or the Mee Goreng Mamak stall parked in front of the shop.

But comparing the food here to some of Ipoh’s or even old town’s best, Sin Yoon Loong came up short.

The white coffee used to be really excellent, probably at the hands of the proprietor when quality came first before the urgency to churn out cups after cups ala fast food style. And the kaya and butter toast, using the traditional Hainanese loaf was so much thicker, filled with fragrant  kaya and cold, creamy butter. Now? A slice of bread is further sliced into half, with a faint smear of kaya in between.

Times have really changed.

Guess what season was it then?

Aside from the coming Mooncake Festival, it was also the durian season; thus it sure felt like a tropical rainforest full of fresh seasonal produce up for sale around the area

Old walkways in Ipoh old town – This part of Ipoh town is perfect for photography, spending time searching for the Ipoh street arts (more to come in a later post), and hovering over your shots in any of the boutique café down the road.

The Old Town White Coffee War – Sin Yoon Loong vs Nam Heong. Which side are you on?

At the end of the day, taste is still relatively subjective. Some may have taken a liking to Old Town White Coffee’s 3-in-1 instant brew that’s robust, packed with flavours but suffers from a wee too heavy dose of sugar.

Others may shun the white coffee entirely, instead choosing Chang Jiang version of local coffee that’s slightly bitter, more full-bodied and suited for more mature palates. Sin Lean Lee, where the famed “Golden Char Kuey Teow” is served is another good option for coffee in old town, while Nam Chau does it for me when it comes to good coffee and food; evidently winning me over with their dry curry noodles.

If you can’t bear the humidity and wish for a cup of coffee in a relaxing environment, try the Ipoh Café Series. But just don’t expect too much from the new breed of boutique cafes.

In the spirit of Merdeka and Malaysia Day – The Kinta Heights is a landmark in Ipoh

*You can read about Sin Yoon Loong’s rich 77 years history from their website HERE.

Sin Yoon Loong Coffee Shop
15A, Jalan Bandar Timah,
30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
At the intersection of Jalan Bandar Timah and Persiaran Bijeh Timah.
GPS : 4.593262, 101.076989
Opens from early morning until evening only.

*Watch this space for the next chapter in the Tourist @ Home Series!